Don't believe everything you read

EUROPE

In a market still shrouded with doubt, many companies are actually well-placed to deliver steady returns

Reading newspaper headlines can be a demoralising pursuit for investors at the moment, with concerns about sovereign debt and fears of a double-dip recession dominating. Volatility has been rife, with bulls and bears jostling for ascendancy. Risk aversion has set in over recent weeks, with investors unwilling to put their heads above the parapet while clouds of uncertainty linger. But listen to the discussions occurring in boardrooms across Europe and one emerges with a more sanguine picture. Having recently met with a number of industry chiefs, there is a sense of quiet optimism abou...